Happy birthday to Sunil Dutt.

Happy birthday to Sunil Dutt.

The viewers wish happy birthday to Sunil Dutt on 6th June, 2010. He died few years back, but yet his impressive work is still alive in the minds of the viewers.

Sunil Dutt rose to stardom after his brilliant performance in Mehboob Khan’s classic film Mother India in 1957. He played the role of the son of Nargis Dutt who struggled to rear up her two sons after her husband Raj Kumar’s death. Nargis Dutt married Sunil Dutt in real life after the film. In the 60s Sunil Dutt acted in musical blockbusters like Hindustani. All the songs in the film became hit including Mukesh’s song “hum Hindustani”. He acted in Bimal Roy’s film Sujata opposite Nutan and gave good lips in Talat Mehmood’s song “jalte hai jiske liye”.

His film Mera Saya directed by Raj Khosla bewildered the viewers in the mid-60s. His wife Sadhna died and her sister was used by Prem Chopra to frighten Sunil Dutt. Sunil Dutt gave good lips in Rafi’s song “aapke pehlu me aakar” composed by Madanmohan. In the film Chirag, Rafi’s song “teri aankhon ke siva duniya me rakha kya hai” composed by Madanmohan had flabbergasted the audience in the late 60s and added popularity for Sunil Dutt. Madanmohan’s music in Sunil Dutt’s film Ghazal was equally impressive. Rafi’s song “rang aur nor ki barat” was one of the most landmark ghazals of the 60s.

Sunil Dutt did a great in BR Chopra’s films like Gumraah, Humraaz and Waqt. In all these films the music was composed by Ravi and Mahendra Kapoor sung landmark songs for Sunil Dutt including “chalo ekbar phir se”. From the early 70s, Sunil Dutt switched on to action films like Zakhmee, Pran Jaye Par Vachan Na Jaye, Nagin, etc., most of which were successful.

In the 80s, Sunil Dutt acted in the role of the elder brother of Shashi Kapoor and Big B in Ramesh Sippy’s film Shaan. He was an honest police officer, who was killed by Kulbhushan Kharbanda in the film. His other successful films during that time included Dard Ka Rishta which was related to cancer, the disease with which Nargis Dutt died in early 80s.

Sunil Dutt became MP a number of times and done a lot of social work for India. He was shocked when his son Sanjay Dutt got arrested in TADA case and ill-treated in prison. He produced films for his son like Rockey. He acted in the successful film of his son Lage Raho Munnabhai in a guest role.

The viewers remember Sunil Dutt and expect restoration of his great works that spread over 50s years.

Tanuja's success in bollywood films and bengali films.

Tanuja’s success in bollywood films and Bengali films.

Tanuja, the sister of dignified actress Nutan and the daughter of Sobhna Samarth created a unique place in bollywood films and Bengali films. Being the member of a family having legacy of contributing a lot in bollywood films, she had to face acid test.

In the 60s, when bollywood industry was flooded with talented actresses, Tanuja stepped in bollywood films. She had faced Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Wahida Rehman, Sadhna, Vaijayantimala and other classic actresses and yet created her identity in that age.

Tanuja’s prominent films in the 60s include Baharen Phir Bhi Ayegi, with Dharmender, Memdidi, Sapno Ka Saudagar, opposite Raj Kapoor, etc. Within 3 to 4 years, she was cast opposite leading actors of bollywood films. Her performance opposite Dev Anand, in the film Jewel Thief was appreciated by film-lovers.

Jewel Thief was crime-thriller director by Vijay Anand. Tanuja’s innocence in the film and spontaneous presence impressed the viewers. Besides Tanuja’s lips in Ahsa Bhosle’s song “raat nashili hai” was very impressive.

In the early 70s, Tanuja switched on to serious films like Basu Bhattacharya’s Anubhav opposite Sanjeev Kumar. Her lips in Geeta Dutt’s song “mera dil jo mera hota” and other songs showed the acting class of Tanuja. She did even better in Dharmender’s film Izzat. Dharmender had double role with one son being the illegitimate child of Balraj Sahani. Her performance in the song “loote dil pe diya jalta nahi hum kya Karen” sung by Lata and Rafi made viewers spellbound. She was equally impressive in the film Pabitra Papi.

Tanuja was involved in super hit films like Haathi Mera Saathi opposite Rajesh Khanna, Mere Jeevan Saathi opposite Rajesh Khanna, Ek Paheli, opposite Feroz Khan, to name a few.

In respect of Bengali films, Tanuja showed a great spirit in adapting Bengali language and adjusting herself opposite Uttam Kumar in the 60s and 70s. Deya Neya, Anthony Firingi and Raj Kumari stands out as the biggest hits of Tanuja opposite Uttam Kumar. All these films were musical blockbusters and the lips of Tanuja in leading songs in these films require special mention.

Shyamal Mitra composed music for the super hit film Deya Neya. Tanuja was sublime in her lips in the song “madhabi madhute holo mitali”. She was brilliant in the two songs of Sandhya Mukherjee in the film Anthony Firingi, titled “ami je jalsaghare”, and “champa chameli golapero bage”, composed by Anil Bagchi. Raj Kumari marked the beginning of musical career of Bengali musical sensation RD Burman. Songs like “ki holo, kabe holo” creates shivers in the spines of many listeners even today.

Tajuna was sublime in other successful films like Prothom Kodom Phool, Teen Bhubaner Pare, Madhuban, etc. She is considered more versatile than her daughter Kajol who got success by performing opposite Shahrukh Khan in hit films in the 90s. The viewers expect her to continue the great work in character roles in bollywood films in future.

Nutan- the sophisticated actress of bollywood.

Nutan- the sophisticated actress of bollywood.

Nutan is one of the most sophisticated actresses who had remained sublime in her performances over three decades. In the 50s, she was used by eminent director Bimal Roy and Hrishikesh Mukherjee for playing complex roles which required depth of acting.

She played the role of insane person in the film Seema, who became insane due to social pressure but was reformed in the institution run by Balraj Sahani. The songs in the film composed by Shankar Jaikishan and sung by Rafi, Lata, Manna Dey, including “baat baat pe rutho na”, “kahan ja rahe ho”, “tu pyar ka sagar hai”, were immortal hits.

She amazed the viewers with her performance in the film Sujata and Bandini, directed by Bimal Roy, where she even expressed the feelings of a woman who commits crime due to provocation and spends time in prison. She brought tears in the eyes of viewers with her lips in the tragic songs composed by SD Burman. Songs like “jalte hai jiske liye”, “mora gora aang laile”, were very successful.


In Anari, opposite Raj Kapoor, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee, she played the role of a rich arrogant girl who was touched by the innocence of a middle-class person played by Raj Kapoor. The songs in the film composed by Shankar Jaikishan, had created history, including songs like “banke panchi”, “kisi ki muskurahato pe ho nisar”, “sab kuch sikha humne”, “tera jana”, “yeh chand khila”, etc.

Nutan at the same time acted in hit commercial films like Laatsahab, opposite Shammi Kapoor, Tere ghar ke saamne, opposite Dev Anand, Milan, etc. She even acted in a mute role, in the film Karma, at the end of her career, opposite Dilip Kumar, where the terrorist activities had made her dumb. It was a difficult role and Nutan only had the potentiality to give right expression without dialogues.

Nutan had made notable contribution for more than 40 years in films and could adjust herself in any type of role including comedy role in Delhi ka thug, opposite Kishore Kumar. Her sophisticated style of performance cannot be highlighted in a small article, but the reference reminds people of the golden age where most of her films including Chaliya, Kanhaiya, Dil hi to hai, Paying guest, show her indispensability in the bollywood film industry.

By: Supriya Chatterji.